No More Waiting
by darnedchild
Summary: A super short and sweet ficlet for Sherlolly Appreciation Week 2016 - Day One (Non-Canon/Head Canon - Caught In the Rain)
**AN:** Technically, even though I'm posting this on the second day of Appreciation week, I actually wrote and posted it on Tumblr late last night (day one) so I'm going to pretend that's close enough. This version is slightly different from the original posted on Tumblr as I finally had time to read through it again. Still tragically unbeta'd though, oops.

 **No More Waiting**

Molly stared out the half opened door to the ambulance bay in disbelief.

There hadn't been a cloud in the sky when she'd first opened this same door forty-five minutes earlier. Unfortunately, less than a minute and a half later Sherlock "I just need to borrow you for a moment" Holmes had intercepted her and used those blue eyes of his to convince her to return to the morgue so he could look at Mr. Leopold's corpse one more time.

And now . . . now it was pouring down buckets.

Sherlock had disappeared as soon as he'd found the pinprick-sized injection site he'd been looking for under Mr. Leopold's big toenail, easily overlooked if you weren't searching for it. He'd at least remembered to thank her before rushing out the door, mobile already in hand. She'd stayed behind just long enough to put everything back to rights, but it had been at least ten minutes too long judging from the puddles already formed on the cracked pavement.

The walk to the tube station was going to be a nightmare.

Molly zipped her jacket and tucked her head down low before stepping the rest of the way outside.

"I was beginning to think you'd never come out."

She jumped and whirled around, one foot slipping into a puddle of rainwater that almost immediately seeped into her shoe.

Sherlock had been leaning against the wall near the door, just far enough under the overhang to keep his upper half dry.

"What-what are you doing here?"

He pushed away from the wall and took a step toward her. "Waiting for you, obviously."

She shivered, already feeling cold and wet. "Do you need to see him again? I've only just put everything away so if it can wait until tomorrow . . .?"

"I got everything I needed from Mr. Leopold, Gerard is on his way out to get a warrant for the father-in-law as we speak." He took another step closer until they were standing together in the rain.

"Then why?" What could he possibly need from her this time?

"Ask me if I'd like to have coffee."

Molly frowned, confused. "Coffee? Sherlock, I don't understand."

"Fine, I suppose it's only fair that I do it this time." He reached out and took one of her hands, the leather of his gloves rough against her skin. "Molly Hooper, would you have coffee with me?"

His expression was earnest and he held her gaze even as small drops of water dripped from his eyelashes.

"Coffee?" It almost sounded as if . . . But that couldn't be because Sherlock Holmes wasn't interested in her that way.

"For a start." He shrugged and offered her a hopeful smile. "If you're still interested." His smile dimmed the longer she remained silent. "I understand if you aren't, it's been a very long time and I've done things that-"

"Yes." Molly tugged on his hand, pulling him close enough that his coat touched her jacket. "I'd love to have coffee."

Sherlock's gaze darted down to her lips and back up, silently asking permission. Molly tugged on his hand again and turned her face up to him. His head blocked the rain as he gently pressed his mouth to hers in a soft, sweet kiss.

He pulled away and started to quickly lead her down the alley. "I know a nice Italian place that serves excellent coffee."

Molly pushed several strands of wet hair out of her face and hurried to keep up with him. "Not that I'm not happy you asked, but you didn't have to stand out in the rain; you could have waited until tomorrow or called me or something."

He steered them around yet another ever expanding puddle and then stopped to make sure he had her full attention. "No, I couldn't. I've, uh, I've a few years' worth of lost time to make up for and I couldn't bear to wait a moment longer to start trying. Not if there was still a chance for us."


End file.
